


In the Dark

by thepaperbagprincess



Category: The Outsiders - S. E. Hinton
Genre: Boys In Love, Everyone Is Alive, Fluff, M/M, Non-Canon Relationship, Not Canon Compliant, back at it again lads lassies and lassos, im still gay trash, still haven't seen the movie but whatever ig, theres no segs or anything, underage tag just because theyre minors
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-22
Updated: 2021-01-22
Packaged: 2021-03-13 14:15:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,805
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28904721
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thepaperbagprincess/pseuds/thepaperbagprincess
Summary: Johnny and Pony formed a bond after the accidentpure fluff there's literally no other contentjust read it it's not that long
Relationships: Johnny Cade/Ponyboy Curtis
Comments: 4
Kudos: 36





	In the Dark

**Author's Note:**

> hey yall i hope you enjoy  
> im using proper conventions this time please be proud of me

Johnny and Ponyboy were tired. After the fire, and Johnny being so close to death, they non-verbally agreed to not let the small things bother them anymore. Johnny still remembered Darry helping him get into Pony's room, only to see him beside himself with grief, convinced that Johnny was dead, and that it was his fault. Needless to say, as close as they were before, they got impossibly closer. Soda often made jokes about them being joined at the hip, much to the chagrin of both boys. 

Pony usually payed attention in class. He didn't really have to because even if he was in older student-level classes, he still aced everything. After That, he decided to not get so angry at Darry for being on his case all the time. He put some effort into school. But on this particular day, the honey-haired boy only had one thing on his mind; Johnny. He might've gotten braver and less shy after realizing everything he was capable of, but Ponyboy was always worried about him; in a weird way no one else seemed to be. He was almost comical in the way he was overprotective of the boy who was older than him, and bigger in every way. 

As soon as the final bell rang, Ponyboy grabbed his bag and booked it out of the school, not in the mood to deal with any Socs, and wanting to see his family again. When the boy got outside though, he slowed down, suddenly dreading his small room, as he often felt trapped within the four walls. Ducking into a patch of the woods that he knew lead to an opening with a stream, he let his mind clear for the first time all day. 

Arriving at the clearing, he was surprised to see his best friend in the flesh. Johnny looked up from the stump he was sitting on, and let a half-smile cross his face before going back to doodling in the soft dirt with a broken twig. Pony let his bag hit said dirt, and grabbed the book he had snagged from the library. He then took a seat on a large stone leaning on a huge tree, leaving him opposite from Johnny. "The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn," he began, and over the top of the book, he saw Johnny smile a real grin, and lean back against his own tree, closing his eyes.

After about an hour of reading, Pony knew that they would have to get home soon or his brothers would get worried. He sighed, and shook Johnny, who had fallen asleep, awake. “C’mon J, we hafta get back home. Darry had the day off and he made a real nice dinner for us.” After him and the aforementioned Johnny became local legends, they got paid to do a bunch of interviews, and Soda’s car shop wage doubled at all the people swarming after seeing Soda in the news. Darry’s wage also increased, causing him to be able to take a day off once in a while and spend time with his family, both chosen and blood. Especially because of this, The Curtis’ had gladly invited Johnny to live with them, knowing his folks wouldn’t care much, and the boy desperately needed reassurance after he almost died.  
Johnny stirred with a bit of coaxing, and then they walked home at a brisk pace. It was already getting dark in October, and it was a bit chilly. Pony shivered despite himself, and Johnny casually draped his arm over Pony’s shoulders, sharing his body heat. Because it was that in between time, before it got super dark, but slightly shadowed, they figured they had no Soc’ to worry about.

Oh, how wrong they were. 

They saw a group of guys walking on the other side of the street. Looking at each other, they agreed to speed up, and Johnny put his hand back in his pocket. Pony quietly missed its warmth, especially under his mounting panic. “Queers !” One of the boys from the other group called out to them. They held their breath and moved on, ignoring the comment. Thankfully that was it. 

“Pony ?” Johnny said cautiously. “I’m sorry if they made you uncomfortable by calling you that…” Pony furrowed his brows.  
“Why would you be thinkin’ that ? And why would it make me feel uncomfortable but not you ?” Johnny stayed silent, and Pony felt his mouth open in a silent ‘o’.  
“I mean, it’s not like they’re wrong, are they ?” Johnny laughed, but it was gritty and harsh, so unlike the deep warm laugh Ponyboy had come to love and look forward to through the years. Pony grabbed his shoulder, and they stopped right outside the Curtis House.  
“Look, Johnny, it doesn’t matter to me. Would it be terribly insensitive of me if I said I’m the same way ?” Johnny looked down at him (he’d had a growth spurt over the summer, much to everyone’s pleasant surprise), eyes shining with an emotion that was close to hope, but to Pony that made no sense.  
“You mean that ? You really mean it ?” Pony nodded and opened his mouth, ready to reply, but the door opened and Soda poked his head out.  
“What are y’all doing out there ? It’s cold and besides, Darry made Shepard’s Pie !” Johnny gave Pony a look that said, ‘later’, and Pony nodded back, looking forward to continuing this enlightening conversation with his best friend. 

Dinner was great, and they walked together to their shared room. Johnny slept on an air mattress in the corner of the room. But as soon as he slid onto it, it let out a loud pop, and deflated instantly. Johnny groaned and just laying on his now slightly comfortable floor. “I knew I shouldn’t have bought the one that was third hand. Pony, what am I going to do ? I guess I can just sleep on the floor…” Pony sat up off his own bed and stared at Johnny, barely making out his dark hair in the equally as dark room.  
“No Johnny, then your back will hurt, and the last thing we want is something upset your spine…” Miraculously, Johnny had made a full recovery from the beam falling on him, but they never wanted to tempt fate again. Johnny made a soft, hurt noise in the back of his throat, and nodded. Both sets of eyes had adjusted to the dark, and Johnny could see Ponyboy’s lips curve into a tentative smile. “If it’s all right with you, I don’t mind sharing.”

When Johnny didn’t answer right away, Pony felt the shame flood his cheeks and he rushed to retract his statement. “I mean, I don’t mind sleeping on the floor ! You can take the bed, in fact you hafta, Johnny !” Johnny stood up, but he was already shaking his head.  
“No not at all, Pony ! I was just surprised that you’d be willing to, I mean, with what I’ve said and all…” By the time he finished his sentence, he was at the bedside. Pony lightly slapped him on the arm, too low for him to slap him on the face.  
“We’re the same, aren’t we ? I support you no matter what, you’ve gotta realize that, don’tcha ?” Johnny hung his head.  
“I don’t know, I know you’ve got me, but it’s just…” Pony didn’t let him finish, and just scooted over, patting the warm spot of the bed he had just left open. JOhnny sighed again, but did slip under the covers, next to Pony. 

Seeing as it was only a enlarged twin, Pony was scared that Johnny could hear as well as feel the way his heart was beating out of his chest. It was while contemplating this that he finally realized what all these weird feelings he had for Johnny were. He was in love with his best friend. 

Seeing the pieces put together in front of him, he felt like a complete and utter idiot for not realizing sooner. 

It was easy to see, whenever he made a joke, his eyes immediately went to look at Johnny to make sure it was funny. Whenever Johnny was talking, Pony made sure that he felt heard. Whenever Johnny used the smile that he reserved for special occasions, Pony’s day brightened and so did his cheeks. Johnny was his favourite. Period. 

With that revelation, Pony was scared. What was he to do ? Suppose Johnny found out. He would lose his best friend, his confidant, and the love of his life. 

As he sat there stewing, Johnny let out a huff of a laugh. “I can hear you thinking from here. Granted, that’s not a whole lot but it’s somethin’.” Johnny felt Pony smile in response, then felt him shiver.  
“Sorry, I’m just cold.” It wasn’t a lie, the night had gotten biting, and Pony was right next to the stone wall, hard and chilly. Johnny sighed, and slowly, gently, as so not to scare the younger boy, wrapped his arm around him, and tugged gently, pulling Pony to his chest.

Pony swore he was dying. His head was on Johnny’s chest and he could feel it racing. He let out a breath of a laugh. “Why is your heart a better running than you are ?” He could practically feel the heat of Johnny’s cheeks as he replied.  
“‘Cause I’m nervous…” Pony’s forehead wrinkled. Why would he be nervous ?  
“Oh ? and why is that, John ?” Johnny’s chest expanded, lifting Pony’s head with it, sucking in a breath.  
“Because I wanna tell you something, but I don’t got the words for it.” Pony nodded thoughtfully against his chest.  
“Well then why don’t you try to explain, and I’ll try to put the puzzle ‘gether.”  
“You.” Johnny abruptly stopped, and Pony patted his chest to get him to continue. “Safety. Soft. Trust. Warmth. Home.” Johnny flushed an even darker colour, sure he had said too much, too soon, when Pony sat up, and dragged Johnny by the shirt sleeve with him. 

Johnny opened his mouth, probably to make things worse when Ponyboy shuts him down with a soft kiss press of the lips. Then he backed up again, and hid his face in his hands. Johnny followed him to the wall, and kissed him again, this time longer, but just as soft and sweet. More of a press of the mouth than anything else. Pony grinned, wider than should be humanly possible, and that broke the kiss. Johnny grabbed his shoulders, and Pony kissed him. Again. And Again. 

Pony let out a giggle, his mouth tender and sore. They laid back down, Johnny’s strong arms enveloping Pony, making him feel safe. He understood the words that Johnny had said, because he felt them before he even knew what they meant.

“Goodnight Johnny Cade.”  
Goodnight Ponyboy Curtis.”


End file.
